Johannes Brahms - Vier Gesänge, Op. 17 for Female Choir, Horns and Harp (1860)

Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 - 3 April 1897) was a German composer and pianist of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria. His reputation and status as a composer are such that he is sometimes grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the "Three Bs" of music, a comment originally made by the nineteenth-century conductor Hans von Bülow.
4 Songs, Op. 17 (1860) for female choir, 2 horns and harp.
1. Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang Poco Adagio, con molto espressione (C major) - Friedrich Ruperti (1805-1867)
2. Lied von Shakespeare Andante (E-flat major) (4:00)
August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767-1845), after William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
3. Der Gärtner Allegretto (E-flat major) (5:35)
Joseph von Eichendorff (1788-1857)
4. Gesang aus Fingal Andante (C minor) (8:30)
Johann Gottfried Herder (1744-1803), after James Macpherson (1736-1796) as Ossian
Dan Everson & Steve Multer, horns
Erik C. Nielsen, harp
Kansas City Chorale conducted by Charles Bruffy
These four choral songs have the paradoxical distinction of both beginning the excellent line of secular part songs by Brahms and being completely unique within that output. Written for three-part women’s chorus throughout (except for a brief four-part a cappella passage in the middle section of No. 4), the choral style does anticipate somewhat that of the later a cappella part songs for mixed chorus (Opp. 42, 62, 93a, and 104). Op. 17, however, is set apart not only by being accompanied, but by the nature of that accompaniment: the exceedingly romantic combination of two horns and harp. The latter was an instrument to which Brahms would rarely again turn (only in the German Requiem, Op. 45 and in the Nänie, Op. 82, and in none of the symphonies). He remarked that he was not particularly fond of the instrument when it had to go and “make an effect.” In contrast, he always wrote effectively for horns, despite refusing to compose for the new valve instrument. The highly diverse texts lend themselves well to this combination. The harp’s characteristic arpeggios are prominent in Nos. 1 and 3. Both of these songs use the horns sparingly. No 1 restricts itself to one horn in a very specific role. Nos. 2 and 4 exploit the characteristic natural horn harmonies, known as “horn fifths,” to great effect. In these two songs, the harp is mostly restricted to block chords. The choral writing is relatively simple. Multi-voice counterpoint is kept at a minimum, the three parts singing mostly in block harmonies.

[@Minionluvr2007]

I sang this in my choir and as a soprano 1 it was so fun and sounded like magic

[@_skr6057]

Это было так прекрасно, что у меня сбилось дыхание! Какое проникновенное исполнение! Браво!

[@iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiivy]

The first movement is very enchanting! I can't describe it. Simply wonderful!

[@beatnikdiva4422]

I sang this with Virginia Symphony many years ago. They're as luxurious and sublime now as they were thirty years later.

[@thomgandet8369]

What delicate and lovely choral works these are, and balm for the soul! Quite unique in my experience of Brahms's music. He wrote a lot of choral works for a female choir he conducted for many years, and his love of and sensitivity to that pure sound seems perfectly complemented by horns and harp.

[@ZaiSings-wp7gn]

Performing these pieces of art tonight with 2 amazing choruses combined with an orchestra ♥️

[@SophieS12345]

Thank you for the video description, it is very informative!

[@beatrizscz]

Avec ma chorale on vient de commencer à travailler sur cette merveille. C'est tellement délicat !

[@TheMsnowflake]

1. Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang Friedrich Ruperti Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang Den Lieb’ und Sehnsucht schwellen, Er dringt zum Herzen tief und bang Und läßt das Auge quellen. O rinnet, Tränen, nur herab, O schlage Herz, mit Beben! Es sanken Lieb’ und Glück ins Grab, Verloren ist das Leben! The rich sound of a harp English Translation © Richard Stokes The rich sound of a harp rings out, Increasing love and longing, Deep and quivering, it pierces my heart And causes tears to well in my eyes. Flow down my cheeks, O tears, Throb and tremble, O heart! Love and happiness sank into the grave, My life is lost!

[@TheMsnowflake]

2. Lied von Shakespeare August Wilhelm von Schlegel Komm herbei, komm herbei, Tod, Und versenk’ in Cypressen den Leib; Lass mich frei, lass mich frei, Not, Mich erschlägt ein holdseliges Weib. Mit Rosmarin mein Leichenhemd, O bestellt es! Ob Lieb’ ans Herz mir tötlich kommt, Treu’ hält es. Keine Blum, keine Blum süß, Sei gestreut auf den schwärzlichen Sarg; Keine Seel’, keine Seel’ grüß mein Gebein, wo die Erde es verbarg. Um Ach und Weh zu wenden ab’, bergt alleine mich, wo kein Treuer wall’ ans Grab und weine. Come away, death William Shakespeare Come away, come away, death, And in sad cypress let me be laid; Fly away, fly away breath; I am slain by a fair cruel maid. My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, O, prepare it! My part of death, no one so true Did share it. Not a flower, not a flower sweet On my black coffin let there be strown; Not a friend, not a friend greet My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown: A thousand thousand sighs to save, Lay me, O, where Sad true lover never find my grave, To weep there!

[@TheMsnowflake]

3. Der Gärtner Joseph von Eichendorff Wohin ich geh’ und schaue, In Feld und Wald und Tal, Vom Berg hinab in die Aue; Viel schöne, hohe Fraue, Grüß ich dich tausendmal. In meinem Garten find’ ich Viel’ Blumen, schön und fein, Viel’ Kränze wohl draus wind’ ich Und tausend Gedanken bind’ ich Und Grüße mit darein. Ihr darf ich keinen reichen, Sie ist zu hoch und schön, Sie müssen alle verbleichen, Die Liebe nur ohnegleichen Bleibt ewig im Herzen stehn. Ich schein’ wohl froher Dinge Und schaffe auf und ab, Und, ob das Herz zerspringe, Ich grabe fort und singe, Und grab’ mir bald mein Grab. The gardener English Translation © Richard Stokes Wherever I walk and gaze, Through valley, wood and field, From mountaintop to meadow: I, lovely gracious lady, Greet you a thousand times. I seek out in my garden Many fine and lovely flowers, Weaving many garlands, Binding a thousand thoughts And greetings with them too. I cannot give her a garland She is too noble and lovely, They would all perish, But love without compare Remains forever in my heart. I appear to be of good cheer, And continue busily though my work, And though my heart may break, I shall dig away and sing And shortly dig my grave. Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

[@TheMsnowflake]

4. Gesang aus Fingal Anon. Wein’ an den Felsen, der brausenden Winde weine, o Mädchen von Inistore! Beug’ über die Wogen dein schönes Haupt, lieblicher du als der Geist der Berge, wenn er um Mittag in einem Sonnenstrahl über das Schweigen von Morven fährt. Er ist gefallen, dein Jüngling liegt darnieder, bleich sank er unter Cuthullins Schwert. Nimmer wird Mut deinen Liebling mehr reizen, das Blut von Königen zu vergießen. Trenar, der liebliche Trenar starb O Mädchen von Inistore! Seine grauen Hunde heulen daheim, sie sehn seinen Geist vorüberziehn. Sein Bogen hängt ungespannt in der Halle, nichts regt sich auf der Haide der Rehe. The maid of Inistore Macpherson, James ("Ossian") Weep on the rocks of roaring winds, O maid of Inistore! Bend thy fair head over the waves, thou lovelier than the ghost of the hills; when it moves in a sun-beam, at noon, over the silence of Morven! He is fallen, thy youth is low! pale beneath the sword of Cuthullin! No more shall valour raise thy love to match the blood of kings. Trenar, graceful Trenar died, O maid of Inistore! His grey dogs are howling at home! they see his passing ghost. His bow is in the hall unstrung. No sound is in the hall of his hinds!

[@pardaq24]

Thank you for this beautiful upload.

[@avrumgolub2735]

Wonderful! Thank you.

[@TopsAR]

This is how heaven sound like

[@EE12CSVT]

'Es tönt ein voller Harfenklang' is how I imagine what it sounds like to enter heaven, if I believed in it. Assume it does, that's the sound of it.

[@alyciamarrison2916]

Just beautiful!!

[@Ivan_1791]

That's beautiful.

[@Absurdist1968]

That second song is “Come Away Death” from _Twelfth Night._

[@ezequielstepanenko3229]

Lovely

[@rickshafer6688]

I wonder why I have an affinity to females singing the German language. That was so beautiful.

[@willemvantwillertorganist]

Great music

[@the-art-of-organ-playing]

Wow. Just.....wow.

[@josephsummer777]

Bartje: I just sent a Shakespeare Concerts recording of this, along with other related pieces, to the CD company for production and distribution.

[@mrJohnDesiderio]

Wow!

[@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist]

for a very different context for the opening horn idea , see the off stage post-horn solo in Mahler 3, 4th Mvt.

[@mariacarmasin111]

I wish I wouldn't understand German, then it would be more fun ^^

[@vetler2906]

The opening reminds me alot of the the horn solo from his first Symphony. The chord progression and orchestration feels really similar. Wonder if its supposed to be qoute, just a different horn melody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/opjXe3qEqq50erMsi=ZoERkkw7XgOxAe2B

[@rosiefay7283]

Interesting choice of instruments. 13:29 We could do with scans from this sheet music for the rest of the work!

[@bartjebartmans]

So, stop complaining get to work and do it yourself.

[@mathias841]

8:40

[@abuasaduzzaman6964]

Convienently i'm writing an essay on Brahms

[@philipkuttner7945]

So am I! I'm definitely going to include this in the "Brahms pieces you've never heard but must!"

[@watutman]

@@philipkuttner7945 What are the other pieces?

[@Nialha]

Coller des pubs en plein morceau, pas classe